31 Nights Till Halloween: Mother And Child On The Run
by gaarablack
Summary: the final story in my 31 Nights Till Halloween. Ace was just a normal girl who just got out of high school, but a faithful encounter with a little boy name Luffy might change her normal life. fem Ace!
1. Mother And Child On The Run

Ok so I kinda ran out of time to finish this so the last chapter for sure will be out tomorrow, and thank you for reading, and I hope review, and tell me what you think! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

"Darn Dadan! Why the hell do I always have to do the shopping for them?" Ace swore as she went through the park for a shortcut. She pulled her orange hoodie over her head blocking her face from the cold night wind. Movement to her right caught her attention. A little boy no older then six maybe, was standing alone, his back to her.

'What's he doing out so late?' Ace thought glancing down at her watch. 10:37. she notice that the boy's body was shaking, he must be crying. Maybe he was lost from home. Feeling bad for the boy Ace started walking up to him.

"Hey are you ok?" she asked in a soft voice. The boy turned to her with a jolt, eyes wide.

"I-I-I don't know… I'm scared…" Ace kneeled next to him placing a hand on his shoulder, shushing him.

"It's ok. Tell me what's wrong, and I'll help the best that I can." She offered him a big smile but he didn't look any calmer. He looked down, his bangs shadowing his face.

"I didn't want to hurt him… he was my best friend… no my brother… they made me…" he hic-upped. He wiped at the tears falling from his eyes with shaky hands.

"Who made you? And what did you do?" Ace asked moving the tiny fist away from the boy's face.

"The monsters…" he whispered though Ace couldn't hear him.

"What?" she asked moving closer to hear.

"The monsters made me. They said if I didn't they would hurt me… I was scared! I didn't kn…ow what I… was… doing…!" he sobbed. Ace searched for anyone that might be watching them. This boy was scared of someone, and if they were still there then they could be in trouble.

"Where is your friend?" she whispered. The boy looked behind him to where Ace had found him. Following his gaze Ace could just make out something lying on the ground. She looked to the little boy wiping tears from his face only they weren't just tears.

'Blood!?' she thought in a slight panic. She pulled the boy into the light seeing some blood stains on his clothes, some blood prints on his face, and his shorts nearly drenched in it.

"Stay here." She said making her way to the figure on the ground. Her heart was pounding a hundred miles a second as she drew closer to it. What she found was another young boy around the other one's age lying in his own blood. Kneeling next to him she checked his pulse in panic. When the vein throbbed under her fingers she let the breath she didn't know she was holding out.

"We have to get him to the hospital." She told the little boy. She picked up the injured one taking off to the hospital not to far from the park. The little boy ran behind her scared for his brother's life, and of the monsters. Ace kept trying to get the injured boy

To wake up, move in her arms, or anything that would show he's still with her. When they got to the hospital the injured boy was out of her arms within a minute of entering the building.

"What happened to him?" a nurse asked. Ace looked to the other young boy with her whom held fear in his eyes.

"I don't know I found them in the park near here, and brought them." She said. It wasn't a lie she didn't know what happened before she found them.

"With all the blood he lost I'm surprised he's even remotely alive." The nurse said honestly. Ace notice the little boy twitch, and grab onto her pants trembling again. When the nurse left Ace turned her attention to the boy.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"M-Monkey. D. L-L-Luffy…" he stuttered following her outside. They sat on a bus bench.

"I'm Ace. Luffy tell me who made you hurt your friend?" Ace asked.

"I told you! The monsters! They made me hurt Sabo!" he all but screamed at her. Ace could see how much pain he was in but she needed to know what she got herself into.

"I got that much but who is this monster? Where is he so we can get him?" Luffy gave her a look like she was crazy.

"Nobody can get him, he's in my head… he's always been in my head…" he muttered the last part, while gripping his head. Ace didn't really get what he was saying. Is he telling her that he can hear ghost?

"You think I'm crazy?" he mumbled snapping her out of thought. She looked down to him.

"What?"

"You think I'm crazy! Just like grandpa!" he screamed standing up on the bench. He took angry breaths, face all red. Reaching out to him Ace took him into her arms holding him like a mother would to her child.

"I don't think you're crazy." She told him rubbing circles into his back making him relax a bit. He nuzzled his face into her chest loving the warmth she made him feel. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this warmth, and if he ever felt it.

"Sabo was the only one who believed me…" he mumbled against her chest. She didn't get why she felt so protective of this boy she had only met an hour ago.

"Why did the monsters want you to hurt him?" Ace asked.

"They didn't want me to hurt him, they wanted me to kill him." Luffy corrected. Ace stared wide at him.

"k-k-kill?" she squeaked out. Luffy nodded sadly.

"They said I was to close to him, he had to go now… but Sabo is the only one who cares about me, and now he's…" Ace shushed him again seeing the tears weld up in his eyes.

"He is going to be just fine, ok?" Luffy nodded with a trembling lip. Ace picked the boy up, taking him back inside to wait for anything on Sabo.

"Um miss…"  
"Ace."

"Yes Ace the boy you had brought in is doing just fine now." Ace looked back to Luffy with a smile, the boy didn't smile back though. "He lost a lot of blood but somehow pulled through it. He sure is a trooper!"

"That's wonderful news!"

"Do you know his name by any chance?" the nurse asked Ace. Ace shook her head.

"Sabo… Sabo Terminal…" a soft voice said behind her. The nurse nodded to Luffy with a thank you before leaving to call Sabo's family. Ace kneeled down in front of Luffy with a kind smile.

"See I told you."

"The monsters still wants me to kill Sabo…" Luffy mumbled holding his head in his hands. Ace removed his little hands to put her own there, and kissed the top of Luffy head.

"Tell them they're not in charge, and that you are."  
"What if they don't listen?" Luffy asked covering Ace's hand with him.

"Well then I'll just have to find a way to make them." Luffy giggled at this. He stopped laughing for a moment, his eyes widening.  
"They're not talking as much." He said excitedly. Ace flicked his nose making the boy giggle more.

"See?"

"You're the best Ace!" Luffy shouted throwing his arms around Ace's neck, and hugging her tightly. Ace hugged him back with a nice warm feeling inside of her. "Can we see Sabo…?" Luffy asked. Ace shrugged looking to the front desk.

"Let me ask." She told him making her way over. "Excuse me but can we see Sabo?" she asked in the politest voice she had. The nurse nod directing to the right room.

"Sabo…?" Luffy whispered walking into the room with Ace right behind him. Sabo looked the younger boy groaning in pain, but smiling at him.

"Hey… Lu…" the little blonde boy said in a raspy voice. Luffy took in how bandaged up Sabo was. His head, his neck, his arms, a bunch of blood spots where the blood was starting to soak through, and two IVs in each of Sabo's arms.

"I… I'm so sorry!" Luffy cried curling himself into a tight ball on the floor where continued to cry louder.

"Lu… it's…" Sabo started to cough while still trying to calm his baby brother down. Ace picked Luffy up shushing him, and rubbing circles onto his back, and place a hand on Sabo head, gently.

"Both of you shush…" she said in gentle tone. Luffy sniffled but stopped crying to look at Ace. "Everything is ok now. Sabo what happened?" Ace asked wanting to see what the blonde boy thinks. Sabo looked to Luffy with unsure eyes, when Luffy nodded for him to go ahead he started explaining.

"Me, and Luffy were going to my house before it got dark but we got lost…"  
"Why were you two alone? You're what six?" the two nodded.

"We didn't think it would be that hard since Luffy's grandpa, and my brother always walks us to our houses." Sabo said. Luffy nuzzled himself into the crook of Ace's neck remembering what had happened while they were lost.

"What happened after that?"

"We… were lost for a long time when Luffy's monsters started to talk to him…"

{Flashback}

Sabo stood on a park bench trying to see where they were when Luffy started whimpering below him.

"_What's wrong Lu?"_ Sabo asked jumping off the bench. Luffy held his head tightly crying.

"_The monsters are talking to me again… their yelling at me… Sabo it hurts so much…" _Luffy cried. Sabo hugged his brother.

"_It's ok Lu… ow Luffy that hurts!" _Sabo said trying to pull out of Luffy's sudden strong grip. Luffy looked up at the blonde with waterfall of tears.

"_It's not me… the monsters are doing this… Sabo they want me to kill you! I don't want to kill you!" _

"_Luffy you need to be strong… ow! Luffy!" _Sabo shouted trying to get away from Luffy as Luffy continued to cry in pain. When Sabo was able to get out of Luffy's grip he backed up. Luffy grabbed a rock with fear filled eye.

"_Sabo run!" _Luffy shouted before the rock was thrown from his hand. Sabo tried to get away but the rock had hit him in the back of his neck, sending the blonde to the ground. Before he could even think to get up another rock hit him in the head. Sabo groaned in pain feeling blood run down his head. When he looked to Luffy, Luffy had another rock in his hand, and start repeatedly bashing Sabo everywhere with it.

{End of flashback}

"Everything's black after that." Sabo said. Luffy was trembling again in Ace's arms.

"They wouldn't stop…! I didn't want to hurt you!" he cried again.

"Luffy it's time to calm down now." Ace whispered.

"Sabo! Oh Sabo you're alright!" a blonde woman shouted pushing Ace, and Luffy out of the way to hug her son.

"Mom?" Sabo questioned surprised.

"I can't believe this happened to you! Who did this?" Ace glared at the woman, she was painfully obviously being fake.

"I… I don't know mom…" Sabo muttered glancing at Luffy. Sabo's mom turned to Ace, and Luffy, glaring at them.

"You!" she snarled at Luffy. "You devil child hurt my little Sabo!"

"Mom stop it…"  
"Hush boy! I'll have you locked away, and thrown away the key! Just like your father should be!"

"Now hold on there!" Ace in. she didn't know what was going on about that but she wasn't gonna let Luffy be verbally abused like this. "You're a grown a woman shouting at a child…!"  
"A monster!" Luffy shrunk back at being called a monster.

"He's a child, and he doesn't diverse being treated like this!" Ace couldn't believe how this woman was acting to Luffy, if she could she would've punched the woman out.

"Then keep him away from my son!"  
"You don't even care about Sabo!" Luffy yelled surprising both the woman, And Ace. "You just want him to marry some girl you can get more money!"  
"You little…  
"Mom stop please…" Sabo begged

"I agree." A loud, strong voice said from the doorway. Ace looked to the man, there was no way that could be Sabo's dad, to old.

"Grandpa." Luffy whispered. Ace held him tight to her.

"Garp! I this is the last straw! I don't want your grandson near my son ever again!"  
"But mom Luffy's my best…"

"Hold your tongue boy!"  
"Don't talk to your own son like that!" Ace snapped.

"That's it enough. Mrs. Terminal I think you are going a little bit over board right now. Luffy is a child he couldn't do something like this even if he tried."  
"He is the son of your son." Ace didn't get what was all this talk about Luffy's dad, who was he? Was he like her own father? "You know what I can't trust you to keep them apart so we will just move." Sabo's eyes widened as big as they could get.

"Mom you can't do that! My friends, and my school…"

"Please don't take Sabo away from me…" Luffy mumbled. Sabo's mom only glared at him.

"I would like you all to leave." She said coldly glaring at Luffy. Garp sighed, and lead Ace who was still holding Luffy out.

"Who are you?" Garp asked once they were out of the building.

"My name is Ace." Ace shook Garp's hand, whom was looking at the sad Luffy.

"Luffy it will be ok." Garp said. Luffy looked to him, and shook his head.

"How? Sabo's moving away, and I'll never see him again… and it's all because of my demons!"  
"No. no Luffy don't cry. Shush don't cry." Ace tried to calm the little boy down.

"Luffy you know better than that." Garp said. Luffy's cried died down to only sniffles now. "Can I give you a ride home Ace? It's too late for you to be walking now." Garp offered leading her to his car. Ace nodded feeling very tired. Crap she still haven't gone to the store… oh well they'll have to do.

"That be great thank you." She replied helping Luffy get into his booster seat.

"Where do you live?"

"At the end of redline drive." Garp nodded thinking about why that sounded so familiar.

"Right here." She said pointing to the old run down house that was almost in the woods.

"This is where you live?" he asked. Ace nodded.

"Goodbye Luffy." Ace said. She didn't want to tell the boy goodbye but she had no other choice really.

"Ace can't you stay with us?" Luffy asked reaching for Ace's hand. He didn't want to be alone anymore with the demons, and Ace helped them go away, unlike his grandpa who was too busy with work, and always saying they weren't real. Ace took the little hand in hers.

"I don't think so Luffy, I'm sorry."

"Portgas…" Garp mumbled remembering that name.

"That's my last name." Ace said turning to the man.

"Portgas, D Alice."

"How do you know my first name?" Ace asked.

"I'm you legal guardian. I haven't seen you since you were younger then Luffy maybe." Ace searched her memories, she could remember pretty far back in her childhood but not him.

"Really? Then you know Dadan?" Garp nodded.

"Yes. I left you with her since I wasn't always able to be with you. Then some family stuff came up, and I couldn't come see you."

"I need to go." Ace suddenly said. All of this was really starting to get to her now. Between Luffy's monsters, what happened back at the hospital, and now meeting her legal guardian, yeah she needed to seep.

"Ace don't leave." Luffy begged reaching for her. She smiled back at him, and waved.

"I'll see you soon Luffy." she said running into the house. She took her shoes off at the door, and ran up the stairs to her small room.

"What a night…" she said to herself collapsing onto her bed. Sleep quickly overcame her, with a last few thoughts about little Luffy.

'I can't leave him…' was her final thoughts.

"Ace get up!" Dadan shouted, banging on her door like morning. Ace rolled out of bed groaning, and shouting to stop it! It's been two days since she had met Luffy, and last seen him, and she was starting… no been wondering if he was ok? "Ace!"

"What!?" she shouted pulling a shirt over her head, her eye lingering on the scar over her stomach.

"You have visitor." Dadan said on the other end of the door. Pulling her shirt down, Ace ran out the door, and down the stairs to the living room.

"Ace!" a happy Luffy shouted tackling her into a hug. Ace was momentarily shock at the boy being there but hugged back right away.

"Luffy what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Grandpa wants to talk to you." He said pointing to the man sitting on the coach with Dadan sitting in the one across.

"Is everything ok?" she asked.

"Yes." Garp nodded. "I want to ask you a favor though." Ace tilted her head confused.

"What is it?" she asked picking the boy up when he raised his hands to be lifted.

"Will you become Luffy's legal guardian?" he asked. Ace was taken aback by this, while Luffy giggled with excitement.

"Will you Ace? Please! Then we can be together all the time!" Luffy said such a hopeful look in his eyes that there was no way Ace could say no, and she didn't think she could.

"I guess so. But mind me asking why? I mean I just turned eighteen after all." Garp shot Dadan a look that get out, in which she listened to, and left leaving them to talk.

"You know about Luffy's problem." She nodded.

"You mean the monsters?"

"There's no such things as monsters." Garp said.

"Yes there is!" Luffy snapped.

"Luffy don't talk back." Garp raised his voice that had Luffy zipping his lips. "The point is he said that you helped him with it, and he seems to really be attached to you." Ace nodded. "So I asked you to take care of him, help him get over this please."

"I'll take good care of him." She said smiling down at Luffy. The way she smiled down at him made Garp think about a mother, and child.

"Thank you Ace." The next day Garp had everything ready to be filled out, and all that was left to have Luffy move in with Ace.

"Are you gonna be ok in this small room Luffy?" Ace asked hugging the boy around his shoulders, and rocking him around. Luffy nodded.

"As long as I'm with you Ace!" Ace giggled at him, and kissed the top of his head.

"Sounds good to me." She said. That same night Luffy was wakened up by Ace crying in her sleep.

"Ace…?" he whispered. Ace held her stomach, her sobs getting louder. "Ace!" he shouted getting in her bed, and shaking her. He was afraid that she was in pain, and needed something to help her. "Ace please wake up! What's wrong?" he began to cry. Ace shot up panting slow big breaths. She pulled her knees to her chest, crying into them. Luffy watched Ace continued to cry, his eyes full of worry. "Ace are you ok?" Luffy little voice startled Ace, she had forgotten he was there now. She smiled at him, and pulled him close to her.

"I'm Luffy just a bad dream." She mumbled remembering the dream that was so real, that had actually happened to her just last year.

"What happened?" Luffy asked.

"It's nothing you need to worry about." Luffy pouted a very cute pout.

"Tell me please? I want to know why Ace was so sad."

"You're not gonna let this go?" the young boy shook his head. Sighing she laid back with Luffy still in her arms.

"Luffy you might not understand all of this. But, last year I was pregnant, and my boyfriend, and I were really happy. When I was five months along I… I…." Ace couldn't find herself to finish saying what she wanted to say.

"You what?" Luffy asked looking up at her. Ace wiped the tears that threatened to fall.

"I lost the baby Luffy. It was very painful, and the doctors had to take the baby out to save me. I now have a scar where they opened me up, and my boyfriend, whom I thought loved me broke up with me. I have dreams almost every night about that day now…"

"Don't cry Ace." Luffy said brushing her tears away. Ace hugged him close to her chest, is this what she would've felt for her own child? Is this a mother's love? "Ace I can be your baby now!" Ace laughed softly, and kissed Luffy's nose.

"I think that sounds perfect." She said connecting their heads. Luffy giggled.

"Yay I have a mom!" he cheered.  
"How are those monsters acting?" Ace asked just thinking about it. Luffy shrugged.

"They haven't been talking to me as much."

"That's good." Ace smiled. She looked to the clock seeing how late it was, and they had to be to get Luffy to school. "Bed time." She said letting go of Luffy, who stayed where he was debating on asking something Ace could literally read what was on Luffy's mind, she chuckled under her breath, and pulled her new 'baby under the blankets. "Goodnight Luffy." she kissed his head.

"Goodnight Ace." Since had told Luffy about her lost child she felt a lot lighter, and since the two had decided that Luffy would be her baby, and she would be his mom the two had been very happy.

"Be good in school today Luffy, and remember if they start talking to you, and you can't get rid of them call me. Don't do as they want ok?" Ace said kissing Luffy on the head. He nodded with a big smile.

"Alright Ace! Have a good day to!" he all but shouted in her ear. Ace smiled as he ran off to his friend Usopp laughing with him. she turned to head to Dadan's to help with whatever she needed help with like everyday since she brought Luffy home with her that one night two weeks ago.

"Usopp look I'm king of the world!" Luffy exclaimed from the top of the monkey bars. Usopp climbed up right next to him.

"And I'm the greatest warrior in the world!" he shouted. The two laughed at each other. Luffy glanced down seeing a kid name Zoro staring up at them.

"Hey look its Zoro!" he shouted pointing to said boy. Zoro kept a serious look on his face as the black haired boy ran up to him with his scared friend hanging back.

"Luffy I don't think this is a good idea… he doesn't like playing with younger grads…" Usopp said in a shaky voice. Luffy ignored him as he stood in front of the green haired boy.

"Zoro wanna play with us?" he asked with a bright smile. Zoro grabbed Luffy's wrist harshly dragging him away from all the other kids, and to a more quiet area.

"Zoro what was that for?" Luffy whined.

"You're going to die." Zoro said arms crossed. Blinked confused.

"What?"

"My brother is going to kill you because you have demons inside of you." Luffy backed away from him with fear filled eyes.

"H-h-how d-d-d-did you kn-kn-ow?" he asked rubbing his arms.

"My brother is a demon hunter he can sense it in you." Zoro explained. The school bell rang signaling recess was over. Zoro walked passed him the younger boy without a glance back at him. Once Zoro was in the building Luffy collapsed to the ground his body shaking with fear.

'Somebody knows…! They want to kill me!' he thought holding his knees.

"Ace are you done with the clothes?!" Dadan shouted to the black haired girl. Ace sighed irritated. That was the fourth time she asked her in the pass half hour.

"No I'm not. Ya know it's not easy washing a house full of men clothes with only two hours." She snapped. Dadan shook her head at the younger female.

"You'll learn how to. Now come get the phone its Luffy's school." She said taking Ace's spot as she ran to the phone.

'Oh god please don't be those damn demons again!'

"Hello this is Ace on the phone."

"Ace?"

"Luffy what's wrong? Are you ok?" Ace started off the questions. On the other end she could hear Luffy small whimpers.

"I need you to get Me." he told her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Please come get me, and I'll tell you when you get here."

"Alright I'll right there. Just got to class till I get there." Ace instructed. With a small noise as an answer they hung up. Ace ran to the front door putting her shoes on.

"Where you going?" Dadan asked. Ace looked to her.

"I need to get Luffy. We'll be back soon." She told her.

"You can't keep babying him like this Ace. I know you're his guardian now, and you worry about him but don't go picking him up whenever he has trouble." Ace nodded not hearing what she was saying.

"Bye!" she shouted as the door closed behind her. Dadan sighed at the young girl. She was too overly protective of Luffy, and Luffy was too depended on her. With another sigh she took out a smoke, and went back to the laundry.


	2. It All Begins

Hi! Here's the final chapter to 31 Nights Till Halloween! Yay! I'm done with this! Oh sweet heaven thank you! Not that it wasn't fun but it was hard to think of new monster/Halloween theme stuff every day. I hope you like this! Review, and tell me!

When Ace got to the school Luffy was waiting at the window for her. She gave him a smile, and touch her hand to where his pressed against the window before going into the building.

"Is everything ok?" she asked going into the building. The woman at the desk shrugged.

"We're not sure. He came in here saying he needed to call you, it was very important." She explained. Ace nodded taking Luffy outside to talk.

"Luffy what's wrong? Are the monsters talking again?" she asked brushing her thumb across his cheek, wiping dirt away. He shook his head.

"no." he answered.

"Then what's wrong Luffy?" she asked.

"This kid name Zoro said I'm going to die." He whimpered. Ace gave him raised eyebrow.

"What?"

"He said his brother is going to kill me."

"What?" Ace repeated not believing what she was hearing.

"Ace I'm scare." Whimpered Luffy. Ace hugged him close thinking about this. The kid was just being a bully that had to be it. Who would want to kill innocent Luffy?

"Luffy its ok. Hey he was just being a big bully ok? Nobody's going to kill you." She promised. Luffy nodded to her.

"Ok Ace… if you say." He said wiping a stray tear. Ace nodded leading back inside the office.

"He's going to stay the rest of the day." She informed the desk. After she got Luffy back to class she went home to hopefully finish all her housework before Luffy got out of school.

"What was wrong with Luffy?" Dadan asked when Ace walked in.

"A boy is picking on him." Ace told her getting to hang the wet clothes.

"Ace Luffy needs to deal that on his own."  
"I know Dadan but I couldn't help going to check on him."

"You have to learn then." Ace rolled her eyes with a small smile to the older woman.

"I'll try Dadan." She said. Ace waited outside the school with the other parents waiting for their kids.

'I wonder who was picking on Luffy?' Ace thought trying to figure out which boy was Zoro.

"Ace!" Luffy shouted running to Ace. She hugged him as he crashed into her.

"How was the rest of school Luffy? Nobody picked on you right?" she asked taking his backpack for him. Luffy shook his head.  
"No."

"Luffy which one is Zoro?" Ace asked looking at a couple of different little boys walking out of the school. Luffy silently pointed to a green haired boy maybe three years older them him.

"That's Zoro." He whispered ducking behind Ace. Ace looked to the man Zoro was walking up to, he had to be six years older than her, and had grey with a tint of green hair, and smoking two cigars.

"Is that his brother?" Ace asked bluntly pointing at him. Luffy nodded peeking out to look. "I'm going to go talk to him." Said Ace walking over to the two. Zoro's brother looked to Ace, and then down at Luffy, his gaze staying on Luffy longer then needed.

"Can I help you?" he asked looking back to Ace. She nodded.

"Are you Zoro's brother?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm Roronoa, Smoker. You?"

"Portgas, D Ace." Ace said placing her hand on Luffy's head. "Your little brother seemed to have been picking on Luffy today."

"I was not!" Zoro snapped. Smoker put a hand on his little brother's head making him be quiet.

"How was he?" Smoker asked.

"He said that you were going to kill Luffy." Ace felt Luffy hide behind her again.

"Is that so?" Smoker said looking to Zoro. "Can we talk about this elsewhere?" he then asked. Ace nodded following Smoker, and his kid brother. When they got to park Smoker sent the kids away. Luffy was very afraid to be alone with Zoro again, but with an encouraging smile from Ace went ahead. Turning back to Smoker Ace sat on the bench near them waiting for him speak. "I'm sorry for my brother." He started. Ace shrugged her shoulders watching Luffy play as far from Zoro as he could.

"Why would he say something like that to him?" she asked. She heard Smoker sigh next to her.

"Ace what I am going to tell you, you're going to think I'm insane." This made Ace looked to the man besides her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Luffy was born with a demon inside of him." Smoker waited watching Ace's reaction to it. He noticed her wide eyes, and the way her chest roused, and fall quickened. So she did know. "So you know?" he said out loud. Ace bit the inside of her cheek trying to think of something to say.

"I don't know what you mean." She said.

"Ace these aren't imaginary friends gone badly, these are demons from hell strode themselves into innocent babies to try, and take over the bodies when they are older. Ace Luffy is one of these."  
"What do you want to do to Luffy?" she asked with a look that Smoker see in mothers who felt there were threatened.

"Ace there is nothing I can do for him…"

"So you're going to leave him alone?" Ace cut in.

"I'm sorry Ace but he has to be put down, it's the only way to keep him from getting hurt, or hurting others."

"You make him sound like a dog! He's not!" Ace snapped. Smoker held his arms up in nonthreatening way.

"Ace…" Smoker said slowly.

"No! If you think you can even touch Luffy I'll go to the cops." She threatened

"Ace that won't work." Smoker said slowly still hoping he could get her to see the light.  
"And why not!?" Ace shouted jumping to her feet. Luffy looked to her feeling a thread feeling in his gut.

"Luffy you're going to die." Zoro said behind him making the boy jump. Luffy thought about what Ace had told him about Zoro being a bully.

"Leave me alone!" he whined walking away from the green haired boy. Zoro grabbed his Luffy's upper arm. "You're nothing but a bully! That's what Ace said." Luffy said trying to pull out of the older boy's grip.

"Luffy you have a demon in you, and you need to be dealt with." Luffy was starting to feel really scared now. "I'm sorry Luffy you're a really nice, and I wish there was another way." Zoro said loosening his grip. Luffy backed up from him.  
"Please don't let me die." He begged. Zoro felt bed for the younger boy in front of him, he shouldn't have to go through this.

"There's nothing I can do." Zoro said not meeting Luffy's eyes.

"It won't work because I am on the forces, it won't work because half of the force are demon hunters like me." Ace couldn't believe what she was hearing… wait did this mean Garp was one of them? "Ace please make this easy on not just on me but on you, and Luffy to." Ace backed away from the man.  
"Luffy we're leaving!" she shouted over her shoulder, glaring holes into Smoker. "I won't let you get him, so stay away!" Luffy ran up next to her, clenching at her hand, letting Ace drag him away. When they were out of sight of Smoker Ace started running home. She had to get away from there, and call Garp as soon as possible.

"Ace what's going on?" Luffy asked. Ace didn't know what to tell him, what could she?

"Luffy I'll tell you when I figure it out myself." She told him. When they got home she sent Luffy to his room, and ran to the phone calling Garp.

"_Hello?" _the man answered.

"Garp do you know a man name Smoker, who works for the forces?" She asked in a rush. She heard Garp sigh on the other end.

"_So he's moving in on Luffy?" _he said.

"What do you mean?" Ace asked.

"_Ace do you love Luffy?" _Garp's sudden question caught Ace off guard.

"Of course I do." She said.

"_My next question, will you do anything for him?"  
_"What's the questions!?" she shouted.

"_Will you?" _Garp raised his voice.

"Of course I do. But Garp…"

"_Meet me at my house." _With that Garp hung up. Ace was shocked for a minute or two.

"Luffy come on we're going to grandpa's!" she shouted upstairs. She grabbed her purse this time feeling she would need it. Luffy came down clinging to a red bear Ace had given him the other day.

"Why are we going to grandpa's?" he asked taking Ace's hand.

"I need to talk to him now." Was Ace's reply. Luffy didn't ask anything else after that, he could feel how upset Ace was. As soon as they got to the door they were pulled, and the door slammed shout behind them.

"Smoker approached you?" Garp asked taking them to the living room. Ace nodded following him. "He'll kill Luffy…"  
"Kill?" Luffy squeaked. Ace gave him a reassuring squeeze to his hand.

"Ace will you take Luffy, and run?" Garp asked the young lady in front of him.  
"Run?" Ace asked.

"I will give you the money you would need to get as far from here as possible."

"You always told Luffy there was nothing that he was making it up."

"I know. But it was all to protect him from this right here."

"Why are does he want to do this?" Ace asked having a shaking Luffy sit in a chair.

"Demons can easily take over a child's body, and mind, like what happened with Luffy's friend Sabo." Luffy flinched hearing his brother's name. "The demons took control of his body, and tried to kill Sabo, well that set off the hunter Smoker that is now after Luffy." Ace tried to get Luffy to calm down, whispering reassuring nothing to him. "Luffy's dad had been taken over by a demon, and had done unmistakable things here. One of them was killed you father, and mother right before you were born." Ace froze. Killed her parents?

"He killed my parents?" she whispered.

"I am sorry you had to find out like this…Ace I'm hoping Luffy is different, that he is strong enough to fight it like I have… please I beg you, take my grandson, and get him to safety." Ace didn't answer. She stared down at the floor taking everything in.

"Ace…?" Luffy's desire whispered had her looking to the big scared eyes.

"_Ace I can be your baby now!"_

She remembered Luffy telling her that their first night together.

"_Yay I have a mom!"_

That's right. She gave the boy a small smile. What his father did doesn't change what happens with Luffy.

"I'll get him out of here. I'll keep him safe." She promised. Luffy smiled at her, hugging her around the neck.

"Thank you Ace." He whispered against her neck. Garp sighed in relief. He knew he was leaving his grandson in good hands.

"Thank you." He said taking two bags out of the closet. "This has everything you'll need. Money, ids. A cell with my number programed in it, and two plain tickets to Grandline city. I can't take you or else they'll know, so ask Dadan to take you, but don't tell her a thing. Make something up." Ace nodded understanding everything. "Pack a light, not too much stuff. There's a house address in this bag where you can live. Ace after you get on that plain don't call me unless you absolutely have to, you'll need to figure something to do for money once this runs out." Garp stood in front of his grandson looking down at the little boy. "Luffy I know I haven't been the best grandfather like your friends but I did it all to protect you. And I hope that…"

"I love you grandpa!" Luffy said cutting him off. He hugged his grandpa's leg with tears streaming down his cheeks. "I'm going to miss you." Garp picked the boy up kissing his cheek.

"I'll miss you to. Please be safe, and listen to Ace." Luffy nodded. "Ace you need to be careful as well. Smoker isn't the type to just give up, he'll most likely search for you two, and if he finds you get out of there as soon as possible. If he finds you a third time call me, and I'll figure something else." Ace nodded. Garp didn't want to put his grandson down, but in the end he had to.

"I'll take good care of him Garp." She said taking the two bags. Garp dropped them off at home for the last time, and said his final goodbyes to his grandson, and Ace. After when the two got in the house Ace told Luffy to start packing whatever he wants as long as it fits in his backpack.

"Dadan." She called going to the kitchen. She found the older woman sitting on the deck having a smoke.

"Where have you two been?" she asked as Ace sat next to her.

"We were with Garp. I need you to take us to the airport." She flat out said. Dadan gave her a look. "Garp wants us to visit his friend in the northblue." She lied. She felt for lying to the woman who raised her but she had no other choice.  
"Why can't he take you?" she questioned.

"He's busy with work."

"That's Garp for you." Dadan muttered. "Ok I'll take you. What time?" she asked after a sigh. Ace looked to the tickets.

"In about two hours? Southblue national airport." She told her. Dadan nodded to her taking out another cigarette.

"Ok."

"Thank you." With that Ace went upstairs to pack, and help Luffy. The drive to the airport was a quiet one, when they got their Ace hugged Dadan tightly, surprising the woman. "Thank you Dadan." She said. Dadan hugged the younger woman back.

"You're welcome…? When will you two be home?" she asked as in afterthought.

"Not for a couple of weeks." Ace lied again. Dadan nodded to her, and mused Luffy's hair.

"Take care brat." Luffy nodded giving her his biggest smile.

"I will." The two sat in the plane waiting for it to take off. "Ace are we going to be ok?" he asked holding the red bear close to his chest. Ace petted his head.

"Of course we are, I'll make sure of it." Ace looked over her new id. Gol, D Alice. And Gol, D Luke. "Luffy from now on your name is Luke." Luffy nodded understanding. "How bout I call you Lu from now?" Luffy nodded.

"Can I call you mom now?" he asked with hopeful eyes. Ace smiled at him.

"Of course."

"Everyone the plane will be taking off in five minutes." A lady at the front said. Alice grabbed Luke's hand kissing it with a reassuring smile.

"Let's live everyday like it's the best day ever." She said.

"Ok!"

So yeah I think this is going to be an ongoing story like a couple of other stories I had made just for October but the difference is that I won't be rushing to update it every night. So yeah thank you for reading, and if you want to read this just go to the actual story, not 31 Nights Till Halloween. Thank you all for reading all of last month!


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